Questions Should You Ask Potential Employers as a Remote Employee

Have you got an interview to attend? Are you unsure of the questions you should ask your potential employer?

If so, don’t worry!

We have got it covered for you. Although you would have researched the organization, you may not have found all the answers. The number of questions you might have could be overwhelmingly high, especially while looking for remote work or a work from anywhere position.

Hold tight, as we have brought together some general and specific questions you can use while joining as a remote employee.

Before we move forward into the details of the various questions you can ask, let’s look at them in short.

Questions you can ask include:

1. How are my working hours distributed?
2. Is there a system for clock-in and clock-out?
3. How does your organization handle communication?
4. What are the most common challenges faced by your remote employees?
5. Is this a full-time or a contract position?
6. How does your organization handle payments and taxes?
7. Does your organization provide insurance coverage?
8. Does your organization offer upskilling opportunities?
9. Does your company provide the equipment, or do I have to supply them?

How are my working hours distributed?

While joining an organization remotely, it is integral to know how your working hours are. If you are from a different time zone or country, keep these factors in mind before accepting the company’s job offer. Thus, you can avoid complications once you join the company as an employee.

As per the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average working hours per day is 8.8 in the US. So, the organization, based on its location, would have stipulated working hours mentioned as part of its HR policies.

But, before you join, you can gain clarity on this to avoid misunderstandings. Apart from this, there are a few other things as well that you need to clarify before joining an organization remotely. They include:

• If the company follows strict schedules or provides flexible working hours.
• The number of working days per week. Some organizations may require weekend work or have adopted a four-day workweek policy.
• The amount of paid leave you have per year and how many you can use during the probation period.

Is there a system for tracking time?

Similar to asking about working hours, you can also inquire about the time tracking systems. In some organizations, there is no mandatory time tracking system. Here, they provide the employees with the flexibility to work and focus on the results. Through this method, many organizations have noticed an increase in productivity.

How does your organization handle communication?

Communication is essential for enhancing effectiveness and ensuring that all employees are working in the correct direction. If not, it can affect the organization adversely. If an employee doesn’t communicate their concerns, especially while working remotely, there is no way others can help them out.

Similarly, proper communication is beneficial in building rapport, understanding, and collaboration. Remote organizations use audio and video conferencing tools like Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and Google Meet. Along with this, they also seek the assistance of tools like Slack, WhatsApp, and Microsoft Teams Chat to help employees interact and collaborate efficiently.

What are the most common challenges faced by your remote employees?

Many organizations are willing to have remote employees working from home or anywhere. Although there are several bright sides of remote working, there are some concerns too. They include a lack of work-life balance and facing issues like depression.

Therefore, before you join an organization and decide to work remotely, you can ask about some problems their employees face. As a follow-up question, you can then inquire about the different measures they take to solve these issues

Is this a full-time, freelance, or contract position?

Some organizations might not mention in their job description if it is a full-time, freelance, or contract position. Therefore, while speaking with your interviewer, make sure this is clear.

If you are looking for a full-time opportunity and end up getting a freelancing job, this could affect you drastically because freelancing opportunities don’t provide you with any added benefits, and there won’t be any security in your position.

How does your organization handle payments and taxes?

If you are working from abroad, you have to ensure that your organization handles your payment by considering the laws and regulations of your region. By finding remote work with Cosmogence, you and your employer can avoid any form of legal complications that you might otherwise face. You also have to ensure that they will look into the tax-based formalities in your country.

Does your organization provide medical insurance coverage?

Medical insurance coverage comes as part of the benefits provided by most organizations. While working remotely, make sure that your organization facilitates it for you too.

Be sure to check if you will receive dental insurance coverage. You can also ask who will get included as part of your medical insurance coverage.

Does your organization offer upskilling opportunities?

Upskilling and reskilling are integral in improving the talents and skills possessed by the employees. As you will be looking for growth, you can ask about how the organization conducts upskilling initiatives. If the organization offers learning opportunities, you can also speak with them about the budget allocated for each individual

Does your company provide the equipment, or do I have to supply them?

While working remotely, you will need a laptop or PC with a stable internet connection. Ensure that your company facilitates you with a computer with specifications that will run everything you need, and an SSD drive. Similarly, ask if they can provide you with the funds to set up an improved internet connection to allow you to work seamlessly.

No more questions?

The workplace and interviews have changed and you should take time to plan carefully for interviews. Make sure you save this checklist before you find remote jobs in North America with Cosmogence. And remember – your interviewer is looking for reasons to hire you!